Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-11-22
a Remarkable Surgical Operation.


a remarkable surgical oDeraii OH was per-
formed successfully at the New York Hes
pita on Thursday. A patient who had been
safferng Fl, N u tumor of the brain was the
subject. Prof r F Weir was the operator.
He was assisted by his colleagues, Profes-
sorR Bull aud Markoe, and many of the
great lights of the profession were present.
The patient was about 80 years of age and a
man below the medium size. He had had
headache and partial paralysis, and other
symptoms which pointed TO the fac that the
probable situation of the tumor was in the
0otor area of the brain.
After being etherIz-d he was brought to
the Operating roum, his head having been
previously shaven. Here the surgeons ar
rayed in white linen gowns were awaiting
him, trays Containing instruments immersed
n antiseptic solutions surrounded them, and
four pretty aud neatly dressed trained nurses
stood ready to assist
The operation was then commenced. DR..
Weir, taking sharp scslpel, made semi
circular ncision in the patients scalp di-
rect!y down to the hone The seat of oper.
alton was on the left side of the head, jnst
above he left temple The scalp flap was
then skilfully dissected and reflected away
from the skull beneath, and, after making q
few scratches on the smooth mouey wall 10
give the eeth of the trephiDe rough sur
face to bite on, that instrument was placed
on the bone surface, aud at first slowly
moved from side to side, biting circular
cut in the bone. As soon as the cut was
deep enough to hold the instrumentin place
the ring like pivot in its centre was with
drawn and the trephining was done es rap
Idly as possible, DIR. Bull relieving Dr. Weir
when the istter's hand became tired.
As it worried into the skull grating noise
could be heard like the sound of q butchers s
meat saw in operation. and its sharp teeth
threw up little bits of bone Dust 20 the sur
face At last the trephinng was complete,
and the disk, or button of bone which it had
cut free, was removed AS branch OF the
great middle meniugeal artery had been
severed 8 very profuae and dangerous
hemorrhege took place, and the united skill
of the surgeons was for long time batiied
in trying to tie the vessel cut. which mad re-
tracted into the dura mater. AT last the
tenaculum was used in the way advised by
Prot. Dennis of Bellevue Hospital in re
cent publication, and by this means the YES
sci was secured.
Now came the nice and important part OF
the operation-that is, the finding of the
tumor in the brain. The dura mater pre-
sented no unusual appearance, hut the brain
beneath felt rather 6fmer than usual sud
did not show pulsation iu very marked
degree. An incision VAS made in the dura
mater. and on the flap thus formed be-
| ing effected. the brain cortex was seen be-
meath TO be rather too red and to present
unusual appearances.
/ 4 consultation was now held, and the re-
| cult was closer examination. Certainly
1 there was an abnormal growth present. The
! doctors sil agreed it should he removed, as
+ il must be the tumor sought. With great
! care DR.. Weir and DR.. Bull severed all this
( a.o~th's connections with the brain tissue
aud removed it. Then. after examination
/ al! present agreed that it must be the object
frF which they we're looking. The bleeding
of the wound was stopped, and the flaps re-
placed and sewed up; light bandsge was
/ applied over ali and the patient wes put &c
! bed.-Ne,0 York Sun.